Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

She raised a brow at them again and they looked at her with trembling eyes, "call me lady Thawyne!" She demanded and they clench their fists.

"Are you perhaps challenging us?" Evan did not get what they were talking about yet she was delighted that they raised their voice so she nodded her head haughtily. Her chin raised high in the sky.

"What can you do about that? You are supposed to do what I will ask you to.`` They looked at her with a sour face. If possible they would have strangled her right there but they were scared of the ferocious eyes of Eli that give Evan a chance to do as she wished.

She could hear the whispers again and so as a few gasps. Evan danced in her heart when she saw both of them standing up and leaving the party. They walked straight out of the garden without even looking back once. This should be enough to turn everyone against her. Right?

"You did that on purpose. Didn't you?" Evan heard the cold voice of a man behind her and she nodded. Finally! The victory was so close to her. The footsteps came closer to her and her heart thumped faster in her chest. Ten, nine.. She started counting on her leaving the palace when the man came in front of her and took the seat.

She raised a brow when he said nothing but continued to look at her with amused eyes.

The man was a piece of art. She had thought that Leo was already a prince from the fairytale yet this one was giving tough competition to him. Every nobleman was handsome. She could not help but entertain this thought as she looked at the man in front of him. His hair was made of pure gold and his emerald eyes were so serene. His pale lips and pointed chin, his strong and wide shoulders and straight posture. He was looking fairer than all the ladies present there.

"Have you seen enough?" the man asked with an amused face. This was the first time someone had dared to stare at him so blatantly. He was habitual of looking at bowed heads and scared eyes. so, the girl was like a new source of entertainment for him.

Evangeline knew that Staring between nobles were rare so the man was looking surprised by the way she was looking at him.

Though Evan had come to her senses when he passed the comment, she was hellbent to be a wicked woman. And fighting with noble ladies would not be enough, since ladies often fight because of one reason or other. Men did not take that seriously. But if men also complain and think that the woman was wicked, then she would never be able to stand in society. She had to take the benefit of the man sitting in front of her.

So, she blinked but did not look away. The man raised a boy but then chuckled.

"You have no idea who I am. Do you?" he asked and she shook her head.

"Did that even matter. You must know I am the new mistress of the house and bow down to me.`` Even before the words left Evan's mouth, the man started laughing.

"That meant you did not have any idea who the two ladies were whom you tormented a while ago?" he asked again. Evan took the glass of juice from the table and started taking sips of it leisurely as if she did not think it was important for her to reply to him.

"So, you really don't know who I am?" this time he was not only amused but shocked and she raised a brow.

"You must introduce yourself for that?" Just when the words left her mouth, she felt a bunch of knights surrounding her. They were the same knights who had covered the crown prince when he entered. She could recognize them by the symbol of a roaring lion on their uniform.

She frowned as she did not understand why they had surrounded her.

"You may take a break. I will call you back when I need to.`` Before Evan could open her mouth and ask them, the man sitting in front of her instructed them and they all left after bowing their heads.

Evan gulped as she finally realized the identity of the man in front of her. Her face turned pale. She only wanted to be banished from this palace, she had never planned to lose her life. She laughed awkwardly as she looked at the man while her face turned red from embarrassment and sweat started to fill her forehead.

"So you finally know who I am!" he asked and she nodded her head vehemently. He chuckled as the fear dripped from her face.

"You do not need to worry so much. After all, we are family." she frowned at his statement. How were they family but then she remembered that Eli was forced to be his concubine. The man had no shame. He was asking her betrothed to be the mistress yet he was announcing it as if he was doing a great deed.

She did not want to die but that did not mean she would let him insult Eli. After all, the girl had always protected her even when Eli did not like her.

"I am afraid that I will have to bear the punishment since I do not think we are family." though fear was still visible in her eyes yet her voice was filled with conviction.

"And why is that so?" he asked with confusion. But she did not reply, it was not her place to do so. She turned silent as she stood up and bowed her head.

"I apologize for my impudence. I have dared to not recognize you and misbehaved with you. I deserve a punishment.`` Though she was apologizing, her tone was still calm and collected.

"Since you are so adamant in asking for punishment. I will give you one, Lady Evangeline."

"........." did the man not understand courtesy!?